588: Tara Viswanathan (CEO Of Rupa) - Handling Rejection, Creating Magical Moments, Leadership Hiring 'Must-Haves,' Learnings From Lululemon, and Keys To a Great Off-Site Retreat

<p>Order our new book, <em>The Score That Matters </em><a href= "https://amzn.to/3VJoYFZ">https://amzn.to/3VJoYFZ</a></p> <p>Full show notes at <a href= "https://www.LearningLeader.com">www.LearningLeader.com</a></p> <p>This episode is supported by <a href= "https://bit.ly/insightglobalhawk">Insight Global</a>. Insight Global is a staffing company dedicated to empowering people. Please <a href="https://bit.ly/insightglobalhawk">CLICK HERE</a> for premier staffing and talent.</p> <ul> <li aria-level="1">Rejection is a learned skill. Tara has gone through rejection therapy. Go out and ask for something crazy big. Get comfortable with being rejected. Hearing the word no. Go big.</li> <li aria-level="1"><em>Confidence is about keeping promises to yourself</em>. Create evidence for yourself.</li> <li aria-level="1">Create magical moments for the people you're leading. Show them how much you care for them. The small touches are a big deal. The magic is in the small details.</li> <li aria-level="1">How to have fun at your company: Fun (and culture) cannot be outsourced. You cannot delegate "culture carriers." You (the leader) are the ultimate culture carrier. It has to come from you.</li> <li aria-level="1"><em>"Ask for money, get advice. Ask for advice, get money."</em></li> <li aria-level="1">"If it's too easy, you get soft."</li> <li aria-level="1">It's important to set high expectations for the people you're leading. "The boss I respected the most was a hard ass and very demanding."</li> <li aria-level="1">The difference between nice and kind: <ul> <li aria-level="1">Nice = Soft, easy.</li> <li aria-level="1">Kind = Set high expectations. Hold you accountable to them. You're better long-term being kind.</li> </ul> </li> <li>Tara's "must-haves" when hiring a leader: <ul> <li>Raw intelligence - How quickly can you learn? Must be a clear and critical thinker.</li> <li>Fantastic communicator</li> <li>Intensity, drive, hunger</li> <li>Sense of humor - Need to be able to laugh and have fun.</li> </ul> </li> <li>Values: <ul> <li>Business owner</li> <li>Kid at heart</li> <li>Design thinking - Craft for the end-user</li> <li>Peak performance</li> <li>Be human</li> </ul> </li> <li>Keys to a great off-site retreat <ul> <li>Craft for the people</li> <li>High energy</li> <li>Sense of connection - get to know each other</li> <li>Peak performance workbook - set goals</li> <li>Small touches - personalized gifts for the team (like picture frames with personalized pictures in them)</li> <li>Create magical moments to connect</li> <li>Focus on the arrival - make it special</li> <li>Eliminate loneliness - Assigned seats, name tags, conversation prompts (especially helps introverts)</li> </ul> </li> <li aria-level="1">Tara worked at LuluLemon while in grad school at Stanford. It was a useful learning experience for her. She worked for a world-class manager.</li> <li aria-level="1">What Tara learned from her parents: <ul> <li aria-level="1">Leadership is about modeling the right behaviors.</li> </ul> </li> <li>Advice - <em>"If you want to be extraordinary, you can't fit in."</em></li> <li>"<em>Give way more than everybody else."</em></li> <li><em>"Follow great people and be around greatness."</em></li> <li aria-level="1">Tara created a 50-slide PowerPoint while going for a role as a part-time content writer. Going above and beyond for that leader left an impression and that woman who Tara impressed remains a mentor, investor, and friend to this day more than a decade later. You never know what will happen if you consistently over-deliver for people.</li> </ul>